Gmail: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

Kumar Vishwesh
4 min readMar 14, 2023

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Photo by Rubaitul Azad on Unsplash

In the article “Gmail: Product improvement questions in Product Management Interviews”, we will see frequently asked questions and an approach to answer those, particularly for “Gmail”. It is recommended to prepare these questions before the interview.

Some common product improvement questions in product management interviews, which can apply to any product & are frequently asked:

  1. What improvements would you suggest for [product name] to enhance its usability?
  2. How would you increase [product name]’s market share?
  3. What features would you add to [product name] to better meet customer needs?
  4. Can you identify any potential weaknesses in [product name] and suggest solutions?
  5. How would you go about improving [product name]’s user retention?
  6. What strategies would you use to increase [product name]’s revenue?
  7. How would you improve the overall customer experience of [product name]?
  8. What changes would you make to [product name] to better compete with similar products in the market?
  9. What steps would you take to reduce customer churn for [product name]?
  10. How would you measure the success of your proposed improvements to [product name]?

A suggested approach for answering the common product improvement questions in product management interviews

https://datasciencestunt.com/common-product-improvement-questions-in-product-management-interviews/

Sample Answers to the 10 questions for “Gmail”

Note: These are imperfect answers so you can improve these directionally correct answers with updated data points and by bringing your own perspectives. Please feel free to post your answers.

What improvements would you suggest for Gmail to enhance its usability?

One improvement could be to make it easier to find and manage emails that contain attachments, by providing better filtering and search options.

Another improvement could be to integrate more advanced AI-powered features, such as automated email categorization and prioritization based on user behavior.

How would you increase Gmail’s market share?

One strategy would be to expand the range of integrations and add-ons available for Gmail, to make it more customizable and versatile for different use cases.

Another strategy would be to invest in marketing and promotion to showcase Gmail’s unique features and advantages over competing email clients.

What features would you add to Gmail to better meet customer needs?

One feature that could be added is more advanced security and privacy options, such as end-to-end encryption or two-factor authentication for specific emails.

Another feature could be the ability to schedule emails for later delivery, to help users manage their email communication more efficiently.

Can you identify any potential weaknesses in Gmail and suggest solutions?

One weakness is that Gmail can be prone to clutter and information overload, especially for users with high volumes of email. To address this, Google could provide more effective tools for email organization and management, such as customizable folders or more robust search filters.

Another weakness is that Gmail can sometimes be unreliable or slow, especially during periods of high usage. To improve reliability, Google could invest in more scalable server infrastructure and faster loading times.

How would you go about improving Gmail’s user retention?

One strategy would be to offer more personalized and relevant content and promotions to users, based on their email usage and behavior.

Another strategy would be to provide more seamless and integrated access to other Google products and services, such as Google Drive or Google Calendar.

What strategies would you use to increase Gmail’s revenue?

One strategy would be to offer more advanced or premium features for paid users, such as enhanced storage options or more sophisticated AI-powered email management tools.

Another strategy would be to explore advertising or sponsorship opportunities within the Gmail platform, such as sponsored content or targeted promotions.

How would you improve the overall customer experience of Gmail?

One way to improve the customer experience would be to provide more intuitive and customizable user interfaces, to help users more easily navigate and manage their email.

Another way would be to provide more accessible and responsive customer support, such as live chat or in-app troubleshooting tools.

What changes would you make to Gmail to better compete with similar products in the market?

One change would be to improve Gmail’s mobile app interface, to make it more user-friendly and streamlined for mobile users.

Another change would be to explore more partnerships and integrations with other email clients and productivity tools, to create a more cohesive and interconnected ecosystem for users.

What steps would you take to reduce customer churn for Gmail?

One step would be to provide more transparent and personalized communication about new features and updates to the Gmail platform, to keep users engaged and informed.

Another step would be to provide more effective incentives and rewards for long-term Gmail users, such as exclusive features or promotions.

How would you measure the success of your proposed improvements to Gmail?

Success could be measured through a variety of metrics, such as increased user engagement, improved retention rates, and increased revenue from premium features or partnerships. Additionally, user feedback and reviews could be used to gauge overall satisfaction with the email client and identify areas for further improvement.

Conclusion

On the whole, hope this article helped in making you aware of common product improvement questions and approaches to answering those in product management interviews, particularly for “Gmail”.

Other articles in the series:

Google Maps: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

Google Drive: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

To learn more, here go the tables of contents on Product Management & Data Science. Curious about how product managers can utilize Bhagwad Gita’s principles to tackle difficulties? Give this super short book a shot. This will certainly support my work.

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Kumar Vishwesh

AI/ML PM at Intel | Ex-BCG | www.datasciencestunt.com | Enroll in the "Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate" by Google: imp.i384100.net/q4zLN5